Measure P establishes a non-ad valorem parcel tax for the purpose of building a new library and community center at Albert Park. In addition to a downtown library and community center, the proceeds from Measure P can also be used for improvements and expansion at San Rafael’s branch libraries. These funds will greatly improve community vitality of the city and provide greater access to city services.

A citizen-led initiative is a measure that was placed on the ballot through the initiative process, as opposed to being placed on the ballot through City Council or legislative action. Citizen-led initiatives require a simple majority to pass.

Measure P was drafted and proposed by the San Rafael Public Library Foundation, as well as the Revitalize San Rafael advocacy committee. The San Rafael Public Library Foundation was founded in 2003 with the mission to build a San Rafael Public Library for the 21st century, to furnish and maintain it, and to secure its future for generations to come.

The City continually looks for ways to improve residents’ quality of life and expand services. Recently, the City conducted studies that highlighted deficiencies in size and infrastructure of the current library facilities. While the Carnegie is a beloved facility, options for developing the site to support modern library services that meet the needs of our community are limited. More information on the library facilities and prior planning efforts can be found here.

The San Rafael Community Center, currently located at Albert Park, was built in the 1970s. The recent Citywide Parks and Recreation Master Plan identified a minimum of $2M in deferred maintenance needs for the facility. This evaluation did not include a cost estimate for structural and other code-related facility needs.

By developing a new library and community center at Albert Park, Measure P will address the significant deficiencies of two aging City facilities, while providing San Rafael’s growing population with a modern, well-equipped new space for community gathering and cultural enrichment.

For the time being, the Downtown Carnegie Library and the Albert Park Community Center will continue to serve the public in their normal manner (the Downtown Carnegie Library is expected to re-open after current construction in Summer 2025). Once project design and planning is complete, the City anticipates that the current community center may likely need to be demolished in order for the new building to take shape. At that time, the City will explore opportunities to continue to support community center programming in downtown San Rafael during construction.

The current renovations at the Carnegie Library are critical to ensuring that the building remains operational in the coming years. The project is addressing some of the most pressing infrastructure and safety issues, including fixing the roof, upgrading plumbing and electrical to meet code, installing a fire alarm system, ADA improvements, repairing the HVAC system, and some minor design improvements to enhance the patron experience.

However, the current renovations do not address the need for additional, modern library space to better serve the needs of San Rafael’s current and future residents. To learn more about the current renovation project, visit this website.

The City is still evaluating the future use of the site. Measure P requires that within two years, the City Council will initiate a public planning process related to the preservation of the historic Carnegie Library building for ongoing civic, community or community-serving commercial uses.

The City has not yet started the planning process nor made any decisions about the future use of the Carnegie Library property. However, the City has begun evaluating whether the property is subject to any use restrictions other than those found in Measure P. This included reviewing and analyzing the deed transferring the City the Carnegie Library property. The deed restricted the Carnegie Library property to library use only and prohibited any sale of alcohol on the property, but these restrictions expired in 1987 and are no longer enforceable under California law (Civ. Code Sections 880.370; 885.060(a)). Staff will ensure that the future use of the site is compatible with all current legal requirements.

Building a new library and community center at Albert Park is a major undertaking that will involve substantial community engagement, design and feasibility studies, permitting and review, and construction. While staff have not yet developed a project timeline, it is likely that the process will take five or more years to complete.

Measure P ensures fiscal accountability and local control through the following requirements:

• Every penny must stay local and no funds can be taken by the State
• No funds can be used for administrator salaries
• Independent oversight and annual audits are required